This beetle was observed along
Mesquite Wash, Maricopa Co., Arizona in May 2009.

Curculionidae -- Weevil Family

A majority of
Sacred Datura (Datura wrightii) will, by mid spring, have many
small holes chewed in the broad leaves. These holes are created by Trichobaris
weevil adults recently emerged from the previous season's fruit. The immature
form, a whitish larva (also called a grub) develops within the Datura
fruit feeding upon the developing seeds. Rarely do the weevils destroy all the
seeds and the adult beetles cause only minimal detriment to the whole plant as
they chew holes in the leaves. Thus the two organisms co-exist in a
semi-adversarial relationship; the plant is widespread in the mid to upper
elevations of the Sonoran Desert, and so is the weevil.

Datura is a member of the Potato Family (a.k.a. Nightshade Family) and so
it follows that other species of Trichobaris are associated with
Solanaceae as the family is known. Trichobaris mucorea for example is
found in tobacco and Trichobaris trinotata feeds within stalks of
Potato plants.